


Tea Time

by saintsfan165



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Minor Mai/Zuko, Past Sokka/Suki (Avatar), Suki & Ty Lee Friendship, Ty Lee & Zuko Friendship is super sweet and precious just like Ty Lee, Ty Lee has scars too
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-04-17
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:08:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23668903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saintsfan165/pseuds/saintsfan165
Summary: Tea time isn't the same since she left. Zuko tries to move on after Suki left to give her and Sokka her full attention.
Relationships: Kyoshi Warriors/Zuko (Avatar), Suki/Zuko (Avatar), Ty Lee & Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 47





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> "Still I'll always be there for you  
> How I do  
> I let go of my claim on you  
> It's a free world  
> You look down on where you came from sometimes  
> But you'll have this place to call home always"
> 
> Godspeed - Frank Ocean

Life felt different nowadays. Life felt emptier.

Tea time was once his favorite part of the day was now just a cruel reminder of how alone he was now.

Suki had made her choice. She told him she was going to try to make it work with Sokka and Zuko responded with anger and rage; those old emotions that sixteen year old Zuko knew all too well. He was hurt and felt betrayed. For five and a half years Suki had stayed by his side as his protector, as his friend. But now she was gone. She was gone and he was alone.

Well not really.

"Zuko…" Ty Lee's small voice came from beside him. Since Suki left two weeks ago, he'd taken to inviting his now oldest friend to join him in her place. Suki had chosen her to become captain as well so it wasn't too much of a stretch for him to extend an invitation to her as well. "It's okay to miss her. But she's gone now and you-we have to move on." Ty Lee's voice betrayed her look. He took a chance and turned to her. She looked shaken, sullen, and spiteful.

It was then Zuko realized that he wasn't the only one she left behind. Ty Lee had just as much right as he did to be upset. "How is the tea?" He asked, trying to quickly change the subject. He knew that if he went down this road of talking about her, he'd just get angry again. And he didn't want to risk lighting the tapestry on fire again.

"You've gotten a lot better since last I tried your tea." She admitted, humming happily as she took a sip. "Although that's not hard considering last time I tried your tea you had just started to adopt Uncle's technique."

Zuko smiled at the memory of getting all the Kyoshi warriors to sample his tea. Most admitted that it definitely left room for improvement, only one had to spit it out. But Suki, Suki was kind enough to consider it an improvement. She was always supportive of his tea brewing. "I guess you're right. I was just so caught up with my tea with Suki that-"

"That you never really had time for anyone else except the girl you're in love with."

Zuko coughed, nearly choking on his own tea. "I-Ty what… how could you even say that?" His voice coming out more high pitched than intended. Extremely becoming for a seasoned Fire Lord.

Ty Lee laughed into her hand before looking back at Zuko. "You forget that I've known you since we were children. I knew you before your scar. I knew you and… Azula before everything happened." She looked off into the distance, no doubt reminiscing about simpler times when Azula just liked to tease her older brother instead of try to kill him. Zuko missed those times too. "But I've known you for so long Zuko that I know you're tells. I know when you're flustered or mad or nervous or… turned on." She gave him a playful wink causing him to blush. "And I know when you're obviously, hopelessly in love." She took her last sip of tea before setting it down and making to leave. "So please don't patronize me. I may seem ditzy but I see more than most would know." She gave her friend another smile before cartwheeling away.

Zuko was alone again, silently nursing his tea. He thought back on all his memories of sharing tea with Suki. It first started when he just wanted some peace and quiet and to practice his tea brewing. He'd learned to just accept Uncle's advice and brew tea to calm his nerves. And of course Iroh's advice worked, it worked wonders on his mental health. But Suki was his protector so she insisted (forced) her way to be with him during his private tea brewing. Thus Suki became his guinea pig and a confidant. Brewing tea made him open up about his feelings. He remembered telling her how he wanted to light a councilman's pants on fire for being disrespectful to Katara and Sokka. He remembered admitting that he was hurt by his mother choosing to forget him. He remembered her being there for him when Mai finally called it quits. All of these memories he associated to her and her alone. Their tea time was sacred and now he'd never get to do it again. She'd chosen Sokka over him. But he couldn't blame her. He wanted to, but he couldn't. More than anything he wanted her to be happy, even if that wasn't here with him.

* * *

Ty Lee occasionally joined him for tea, but she thought best to leave him alone, after all, since Suki left he preferred to be alone anyways.

But Zuko didn't want to be alone, he wanted to be with Suki. He contemplated writing her a letter to apologize for overreacting and nearly burning down her room. To ask her how she was doing, to tell her about life here without her. But Zuko chose against it. They went their separate ways a month ago and there was no going back now.

* * *

A year passed and Zuko was finally moving on. He'd grown accustomed to not having Suki around, although sometimes he'd turn to ask her what she thought of some ridiculous proposal only to realize he was talking to a shadow. A ghost, a remnant of a memory. But slowly, her been trying and working on befriending other Kyoshi warriors beside her or Ty Lee.

As it turns out, the girls are just delightful and beyond incredible. Each one had a different journey and personality. They were people, and it took him far too long to realize that they were. So instead of wallowing in self pity, he turned tea time into story time. He made sure each Kyoshi Guard in his force was present and allowed them all to talk freely. To share their lives or share stories they heard.

This was much better than tea alone. .

But still, he wished he'd heard from Suki. Ty Lee had convinced him to write a letter to apologize for his behavior and wish her the best. But that was seven months ago and he got nothing in response.

Ty Lee told him that she must have been really busy helping Sokka with Republic City that she just couldn't find time to reply. But he knew better. She was done with the chapter of her life and there was no need for Zuko to be part of her life anymore. It wouldn't have been the first time. Sometimes it seemed like the only time his friends talked to him was when it was an emergency or they were visiting in an official manner… or to visit Suki. It'd been nearly two years since one of them visited. He thought that Suki would be different. He thought that she would've stayed, or at least kept in touch after she left. But he was wrong.

"And didn't you hear that Suki broke up with Sokka?" One of the girls asked, pulling Zuko out of his silent wallowing. Immediately he perked up, determined to hear the gossip.

"I know it's totally crazy." Zuko scooted closer to the two girls as nonchalantly as possible. Of course Ty Lee noticed. Nothing he did got past her. "I don't know if Republic City tabloids were accurate, but it said something about another man." Zuko's heart dropped.

"I just remembered that I have to write a letter to the Avatar!" He loudly announced, accidentally knocking over a couple of tea cups as he stood to leave. "Sorry- uhh you ladies enjoy the tea. And take the rest of the day off. You've earned it."

Ty Lee was quick to follow. She needed to make sure that no one was around to either hear their Fire Lord break down or blow up. Even she wasn't really sure what he was going to do. He had come clean about his feelings the day after she told him she knew. Zuko was like that. You point out something obvious that he's trying to hide and eventually he'll just come clean and admit the truth.

To her surprise she didn't see anything on fire, nor did she see any tearbending. Instead she saw a devastated Fire Lord-friend sitting in his throne room alone in the dark. "Z-Zuko? Are-are you alright?"

"There was someone else," he said shakily. "I… I didn't even stand a chance. She went to be with Sokka and found someone better. Who's better than him? He's her first love, the world's greatest inventor, the strategist behind the defeat of Ozai. How could she find someone else?" He exploded, the flames in the room igniting. Ty Lee did her best not to flinch but her mind took her back to seeing Azula blow up at her like that. Zuko recognized her fear and immediately lowered the flames.

"Ty-" he walked up and pulled her into his arms. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to freak like that. I'm sorry I should've known better." It took Zuko far longer than it should have to realize that he wasn't the only one tortured by Azula. Ty Lee had spent years under constant scrutiny and being verbally abused and threatened by his sister. While most of his scars from his sister were external, Ty Lee's were internal.

"Oh sorry-" a recognizable voice said from the doorway. "I didn't realize Ty would be here." Zuko pulled away slightly from Ty Lee, checking her over to make sure she was truly okay before looking to their visitor. Once he received a small nod from her only then did he look back at her.

Ty Lee placed a hand on Zuko's shoulder to make sure he was going to be okay. When he smiled at her, she took it as her sign to leave. She walked towards the door, towards Suki, giving a hesitant smile before disappearing behind her.

"Suki."

"Zuko."

She walked up, her pace increasing until she was a near sprint to get to Zuko. She lunged at him and wrapped him in a hug. But her hug was not returned. Instead she was met with a coldness she'd never experienced from him. Everything about Zuko was warm and yet now all she felt was cold.

"What are you doing here?" He asked in a voice that could rival his father's. It sent a cold shiver down Suki's spine.

"I missed you and the girls and the Fire Nation," she admitted. There was truth to her words but Zuko knew better. If she had truly missed them, she would have visited in the year she was gone. Hell, she could have written back to him.

"Why now?"

Because she had nowhere else to go. "Because I needed to come back. I… I-"

"Fire Lord!" A guard came running up to them. "Your sister!"

Zuko sighed. "What has Azula gotten into now? The doctor's said she was finally improving."

"No my Lord. Your other sister."

Suki didn't even have time to say goodbye, within seconds Zuko was out the door demanding to be told what happened. She wanted to follow, but she knew it wasn't her place. She'd been gone for a year and clearly something happened to make him so cold.

"Welcome back." Ty Lee said, stepping back into the throne room from the doorway Zuko had just rushed through. "It's… been a long time."

"Only a year," she tried to joke with her closest friend not named Zuko.

"A lot changes in a year." Suki felt that same cold shiver run down her spine again.

"I'm sorry-"

"Don't. There's nothing to apologize to me for. You didn't leave me. You didn't not respond to my letters. You didn't understand how I felt… that's Zuko. Although a letter would have made the year better." Ty Lee's typically jovial tune drifted to a more serious. "I mean it shouldn't have been that hard. You didn't even ask how the transition was going. I thought for sure you'd write to make sure the girls were listening to me. But no. Instead I had to keep up with your life through stupid tabloids. I even wrote your mother to make sure you were doing okay, and to my surprise, she hadn't heard from you either. So tell me… what the hell happened?"

Suki walked out towards the garden with the turtle-ducks, surely they missed her and were happy to see her. Ty Lee followed in stride. "I got so caught up in trying to make it work with Sokka that I thought if I talked to any of you I'd realize that I made the wrong choice and come back. It took me ten months to figure out that I had chosen wrong. That my heart didn't belong to Sokka anymore. It belonged here. To the Fire Nation and its people, to you and the girls, and to Zuko." The turtle-ducks finally appeared and we're just delighted to see their favorite Kyoshi Warrior had returned. They all made their way to her to ensure they each got a head scratch. Suki laughed, choking down a sob. The two months since she had broken up with Sokka has been the hardest of her life. Not because she didn't have Sokka anymore, but because she didn't have what she truly wanted, needed. She went on a journey of self discovery, taking Aang's advice and journeying to the Eastern Air Temple and meeting an odd man named Guru Pathik. There she cleansed herself, but like Aang she couldn't give up those she loved. Of course she didn't need to unlock the Avatar state, but he told her she wouldn't unlock her true potential if she didn't let go of love. She was tempted, love had ruled her life for almost all of it. For five years, the age sixteen to twenty one, she let love cloud her judgement. For a sixth year she convinced herself that love was right. That she was loving the right guy. She was ready to let it all go until Zuko's face appeared. And that was something she couldn't give up. "I was scared." She finally admitted to Ty Lee.

The former warrior remained silent, waiting for Ty Lee to say something. "True love is scary." Suki didn't even pretend to be surprised by her statement. She knew that Ty Lee knew. Ty Lee knew practically everything when it came to her emotional state. "But you're here now I guess. Just give Zuko time. He thinks that there is someone else."

"Who? What?"

Ty Lee pulled out a Republic City tabloid showing her and Sokka breaking up and a blank profile of a man with a question mark. The paper stated "War Hero and Captain of Kyoshi Warriors breaks up with soon to be Chief of the Southern Water Tribe for mystery man!" Suki scowled in disgust. The caption wasn't completely untrue. She did leave Sokka but she left to figure herself out and what she truly wanted. It took two months for her to realize that she wanted to be here, she wanted to be with Zuko. "There was no other guy. Zuko… Zuko's the other guy if there was one. He's the one I dreamt about, the one I came back for… the one I couldn't give up."

"Well I would definitely lead with that when you talk to him," Ty Lee's playful smile and attitude had returned. "I'm sorry for being mad earlier. I just wasn't sure why you showed up. But… now I do." She launched herself at her captain and nearly cried onto her shoulder. "Welcome back captain."

"No. I gave you the job. You're the captain, not me. And you've done a great job." Suki said as she breathed in the bubblegum scent that was synonymous with the girl. "I trust you, always have."

They pulled apart when they felt the lantern's around the garden lit up. A playfully skipping Kiyi who's left arm was bound in a sling entered followed by her mother and her older brother. Kiyi screamed with excitement at the top of her lungs when she saw Suki standing there with Ty Lee. "Susu! You're back!" Suki tearfully knelt down and accepted the little girls hug.

"I've missed you my little firebender." She looked up at Ursa who gave Suki a loving smile and nod. "What happened to your arm?" She looked down at the sling.

"I was climbing the tree you and Zuzu never let me and a branch broke and I fell!" She said happily. Kiyi seemed completely unaffected by the broken wrist. Her jovial glee that Suki was back undercut everything else.

When Kiyi had finished catching Suki up on everything that happened in the year since she was gone, it was time for her to talk with Zuko. Ursa had snatched up Kiyi and offered Ty Lee a nice walk through the palace which Ty Lee accepted with a knowing smirk. Suki didn't hear what the girl said when she hugged Zuko goodbye, but she knew it probably wasn't appropriate considering Zuko's good cheek was as red as his scar.

"There's-I think we should talk," she finally said once they were alone.

Zuko nodded and then smiled. "How about over some tea?"


	2. Taste's Different

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Suki leaves and deals with the aftermath. (Her POV)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks @madamebomb who kindly suggested that I should "do a part two of I wanna". 
> 
> Like five minutes later I had the idea of what I wanted to write. 
> 
> Rating change cus reasons you'll see.

Suki made the right choice. She had to believe that she dhas. Even if it meant dealing with this shitty tea. No tea was ever going to taste as good as his. Not even Iroh's could compare and he was practically the originator of amazing tea.

No, his tea was special. Drinking his tea was where she started to slowly fall for him. He shared all of his hopes, his fears, his trials and tribulations. She admired him for that. She never felt comfortable telling Sokka her issues and feelings outside of just standard emotions. But with him and that damned tea she had.

It's why she had to leave. She loved Sokka but he was slowly creeping into the spot in her heart reserved for her boyfriend. Knowing this, she ran. Fear was not something she was accustomed to. Yet her developing feelings for him scared her… more than anything she'd ever known.

"I'm sorry," She told him. "But… I need this. Sokka and I need this. Our relationship has been strained for five years because of you." It sounded so much harsher than she wanted it too. But it was true. Her commitment to him had overshadowed her love for Sokka and it was time to finally live her life with Sokka.

They deserved to be happy together. Even if that meant that meant leaving what had been her life for the last five years. She needed a clean break. No regrets, nothing to hold her back. So she left. Put Ty Lee in charge mere hours before she officially departed. He had already blown up at her even saying some hurtful things that caused her to cry that night, which she knew she deserved, and she couldn't bear to watch him watch her go. If she did, she might not have left.

* * *

"Suki!" Sokka shouted the second she appeared on the deck preparing to descend off the ship with everyone else. She was relieved to see that he hadn't made an ordeal about her arrival. Zu-he tended to make an extravagant deal last time she returned home-to the Fire Nation. Suki had to reprimand herself. She couldn't keep remembering him or what she left. She was her to finally start living her life. The life she wanted… with Sokka.

But that night something changed. As Sokka thrusted into her, making up for the months they'd been apart, she didn't feel like she used to. Usually when here and Sokka had sex she orgasmed rather easily. But now, now his touch felt different. She knew Sokka's touch, his feel like she knew herself but she couldn't help but compare the feel of him to Sokka. Just a small little brush of their hands sent an electric shock up her entire body.

Something changed and she was certain it wasn't everything else

Tea didn't taste as good, sex didn't feel as good, even the weather wasn't as pleasent; too cold for her liking. Everything wasn't as good as it was back there.

But she refused to give in. Despite all the signs that told her she was happier back there, she was too determined to keep herself from failing. She couldn't fail Sokka, not when she finally was putting him first.

So she shut it all out. Refused to write them, refused to think about that place… about him. And slowly things got better. Sokka's feel returned to normal, the tea started to taste better, and she was slowly acclimating to the weather. She was content. And she was okay with that.

But then his letter came and it ruined the life she was trying so hard to hold together. Seeing his handwriting, reading the letter and hearing his voice nearly broke her. She locked herself away for days. Away from Sokka, away from everyone. Why now? Why did he have to try to reconcile with her now?

"Suks… please. Tell me what's wrong?" Sokka asked from outside the door. He'd been out there for several hours for almost a week. Bringing her food and water, checking on her. It should've made her love him even more. Instead she hated him for it. She wished he wasn't so caring or loving. It would make walking away easier.

But she refused to walk away. She left. She wasn't, couldn't go back.

* * *

She never responded to his letter. Instead, setting it in fire and never talking about it again. Out of sight, out of mind. And once again things slowly started to turn back to normal. Months had gone by and Suki was content once more. But she was never truly happy. Not like when she was there. The tea tasted good now… but it wasn't his tea.

"We need to talk," Sokka said, about eight months since she left to be with him.

They were drinking tea together watching the sunset. It's something she forced him to do because despite how much she tried to get him out of her mind, he would still have his influence over her. Suki knew this day would come. This was the end.

"We have to talk about it. You've been… well you're not my Suki anymore. Not really."

Suki started to cry. She wasn't Sokka's Suki anymore, that girl was lost the day she decided to take up her role as protector of the Fire Lord. That girl was sixteen and had her first serious relationship. She was part in ending the war with her boyfriend by her side. She could protect the newly crowned Fire Lord and be with her boyfriend too. But that girl was naive.

"It's my fault. I thought that leaving him would fix everything. But I was wrong, I was so wrong!"

Sokka did his best to console her but they both knew it was of no use. The tea wasn't as good as it was supposed to be. She missed his tea more than she liked this tea. "I just-I miss him. I miss everything. I wanted to be here with you forever. I-"

"Don't love me like I love you."

Suki shook her head. "Is it Zu-"

"I don't know," she hastily answered before Sokka could say his name. In truth she was feeling confused and she needed to figure herself out. She didn't know what she wanted anymore. But she couldn't just leave him. She had to fight.

Suki lunged at him, throwing caution to the wind. If she could feel something, it would be good enough for her. Her lips met his mouth and worked his entire body before her clothes came off and she straddled over him. She rode him harder and faster again and again and again because then maybe she would be able to make herself feel something. Suki wanted to feel this the next day. She fucked him with desperation: nails digging into his skin, sweat on her brow, and a fire in her stomach. When Sokka finally calmed beside her, completely spent from their night of passion, Suki felt impossibly empty. She knew she had to leave, there wasn't anything left here for her. She made a mistake.

The tea tasted bitter.

* * *

She went to visit Aang and Katara first. Suki explained everything to them, Sokka and their breakup, how she couldn't stop but compare everything to him. Suki was thankful that they didn't judge her, even Katara who should be upset with her breaking her brother's heart wanted nothing more than to help her figure herself out. She knew that if anyone could help with self discovery it would be the Avatar. He was more than willing to oblige, even if it meant leaving his very pregnant wife for a couple of weeks. Aang always wanted to help his friends if he could. He took her to the Northern Water Tribe and to meet Tui and La. He asked her to reach out for Yue which Suki wasn't too sure about considering both of their history with Sokka. While Sokka was her first love, Yue was always going to be his. But Yue responded, knowing all about her confliction. She told her that she must cleanse herself, unlock her chakras. If she wanted to be happy, she'd give up everything and become what she was meant to be. When she conveyed this to Aang he smiled, knowing immediately who to go to. Yue's advice took them to the Eastern Air Temple where they met Guru Pathik.

There she spent a month learning about chakras and unlocking them. Due to her not being the Avatar, she really only had to focus on the four elemental chakras. Earth, Fire, Water, Air. She wasn't able to connect to any of them except of course Fire. She felt no shame in herself or her actions. Of course it was fire she connected to. It always came back to him.

He was now the only thing she could think of. He was the reason she couldn't connect. The water chakra was blocked by her guilt. Guilt for leaving him and her life. Her Earth chakra was blocked by fear. Suki was fearful of her overwhelming feelings for him. What did they mean for her and her future? And lastly, the Air chakra was blocked by grief. She was grieving the life she once had and promptly left behind. Would that life be there if she went back to him? Unlikely. She hadn't talked to him in a year. He hated her.

"You are not confused," the Guru finally admitted. "There is one more chakra I would like you to try to unlock… the Thought Chakra." Suki couldn't see the fearful look Aang had given her. "Meditate on all of your earthly attachments. Everything you hold dear in this world." So Suki focused and concentrated. She thought of Sokka, and Toph, Katara, her mother, Aang, Ty Lee, her warriors, her great grandmother's fan that she was given by Avatar Kyoshi herself. And of course him and his tea. "Good." Pathik continued. "Now let it all go. Give it up and you will have cleared your mind and your heart."

Aang seemed to have been trying to warn her, but she was in such a deep meditative state that she didn't hear him. Instead she slowly let go of her attachments. Her friends, her family, her prized possessions. She was letting go of everything until she got to him. His piercing golden eyes gazed into her soul, a calloused hand stroked her shoulder, the red flash of his scar nuzzled closer to her. His raspy voice reminded her of all the times she heard him laugh, cry, rage. She felt warm. And there it was. She was sitting by the garden, a cup of his tea in her hand, him telling her that he loved her. She couldn't give that up; refused to give that up.

She woke a little shaken and confused. But she saw Aang's delighted face and somehow she knew that he knew she didn't do it. Pathik smirked as he stroked his beard. "Yes… not confused at all. Captain Suki you know what you want. Now go claim it.

Before they left Pathik offered them both some tea. It was a much needed cleanser after onion and banana juice.

The tea tasted like his. "You know what you want now. Now it tastes to remind you of that." He said ominously.

Once the tea was finished she followed Aang to Appa. "Take me home Aang," she asked, knowing he'd take her exactly where she wanted to go. "Take me to Zuko."


End file.
